The invention relates to a fifth wheel, comprising a coupling plate and at least two bearing brackets for supportive mounting of the coupling plate on a vehicle chassis frame of the tractor vehicle, the bearing bracket having at least one support area and one mounting area.
In motor vehicle transport increasing use is being made of towing combinations having fifth wheels. The combination consists of a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer. The tractor vehicle has a coupling plate, into which a pin, the so-called kingpin, of the trailer is inserted and coupled. The coupling plate is supportively connected to the vehicle chassis frame of the tractor vehicle. The bearing brackets contain bearing elements, which allow the coupling plate to pivot transversely to the direction of travel of the tractor vehicle.
WO 2004/052713 A2 discloses a fifth wheel of generic type. The coupling plate is connected to the vehicle chassis frame by bearing brackets. The mounting area of the bearing bracket is laterally fixed to the vehicle chassis frame by means of bolts. The lateral forces exerted on the coupling plate by the trailer are fully absorbed by the support area of the bearing bracket. The bearing bracket itself is an integrally formed casting.
Proceeding from the state of the art, the object of the present invention is to specify a fifth wheel, which is as simple to manufacture as possible, which is as lightweight as possible and which can transmit the greatest possible forces between the trailer and the tractor vehicle.